it almost exactly

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it almost exactly" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to indicate that something is very close to being exact, but not quite there. Example: "The results of the experiment matched our predictions, but it almost exactly reflected the previous study's findings."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

16 human-written examples

Over millions of years, the planet would have spun around, aligning its subsurface ocean and the heart-shaped region above it, almost exactly opposite along the line connecting Pluto and Charon.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

He began work on it almost exactly fifty years ago.

The New Yorker

That would put it almost exactly where it was in 1968, the circumstance you just described.

Princeton University

Intimacy had turned toxic: we knew, as we went around and around it, almost exactly what the other one was going to say, and even what they were going to think, and it only made things worse.

The Guardian - Books

It should not really be surprising that Mr. Romney lost Tennessee — not when more than 70 percent of the turnout consisted of evangelical voters and when his path to victory depended on the bankshot of his winning about a third of the vote and Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum splitting the remainder of it almost exactly evenly.

The New York Times

What's interesting, however — and perhaps not entirely coincidental — is that if you do take the average estimate from these models (Mr. Obama with just slightly better than a 60 percent chance of victory as of late Monday night), it almost exactly matches the consensus of gambling odds from different betting markets and bookmakers.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

44 human-written examples

It varies by year, but it's almost exactly the same as it was in 1984.

Los Angeles Times

It's almost exactly where it was in the summer of 2012, before Obama won reelection decisively 47-477).

The Washington Post

It looks almost exactly like the iMac stand doesn't it?

TechCrunch

It was almost exactly a year ago when OneRiot launched its realtime search engine.

TechCrunch

It was almost exactly two years ago that the firm closed its forth, multi-stage venture capital fund, Andreessen Horowitz Fund IV, with $1.5 billion.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "it almost exactly" when you want to emphasize that something is very close to being precise but may not be perfectly so. This is useful in descriptions where complete accuracy is difficult to achieve or not necessary.

Common error

Avoid using "it almost exactly" when the situation is clearly an approximation. If the difference is significant, using phrases like "roughly" or "approximately" is more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it almost exactly" functions as an adverbial modifier, qualifying the degree to which something is accurate or similar. As shown in the Ludwig examples, it's used to describe near-perfect matches or close approximations. The Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

73%

Academia

18%

Wiki

9%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "it almost exactly" is a grammatically correct and usable adverbial phrase that signifies near-exactness. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is suitable for describing something that nearly matches another entity without being perfectly identical. It finds frequent use in News & Media, Academia, and Wiki contexts. While "it almost exactly" is valid, remember that there are lots of different alternatives that you can pick based on your writing goals; phrases like "almost precisely" or "virtually the same" can be great alternatives. The key is to use the option that fits your context the most.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

almost precisely

Replaces "exactly" with "precisely", indicating a high degree of accuracy.

nearly identical

Shifts the focus to similarity rather than exactness, emphasizing the resemblance.

virtually the same

Indicates the items or situations are so alike that any difference is negligible.

practically identical

Similar to "virtually the same", but emphasizes the practical aspect of the equivalence.

almost the same

A simpler and more direct way to express near-equivalence.

in effect, the same

Highlights that despite potential minor differences, the outcome or effect is the same.

tantamount to

Suggests the two things are functionally equivalent, though perhaps not literally so.

roughly equivalent

Indicates an approximate equivalence, allowing for more deviation than "almost exactly".

about the same

A casual way of indicating similarity, implying a lesser degree of precision.

not far off from

Expresses that something is close to a particular value or state, but not necessarily identical.

FAQs

How can I use "it almost exactly" in a sentence?

You can use "it almost exactly" to describe something that closely resembles or matches another thing, quantity, or state, but isn't perfectly identical. For instance, "The copy "it almost exactly" mirrored the original design."

What's a less formal alternative to "it almost exactly"?

For a less formal tone, you might use phrases like "pretty much the same", "about the same", or "nearly the same" depending on the context.

Which is more appropriate, "it almost exactly" or "it is exactly"?

"It is exactly" should be used when describing something that is perfectly identical without any deviation. "It almost exactly" implies a very slight difference or approximation, so it's suitable when precision is near but not absolute.

What is the difference between "it almost exactly" and "it is roughly"?

"It almost exactly" suggests a high degree of precision with a minor difference, whereas "it is roughly" indicates a more general approximation with potentially larger variations. The choice depends on the level of accuracy you want to convey.